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2.2 MORSE graduate unsure of what to do next

I graduated Warwick with a 2.2 in MORSE this summer. I didn't have a good time particularly, I really disliked my course and was considering changing course throughout it. I didn't take advantage of the 'networking' events nor get any valuable internships during my time there.

Since I graduated I've been trying to find a career that I would love. Unfortunately, nothing really stood out and I've been floundering. I even applied for a job at Tesco and got turned down. At this point I'm wondering wtf I'm doing- when I started at Warwick, I had these great expectations that I would be working in some high paying firm in the city, and yet I'm applying to minimum wage jobs. I lost all direction and confidence in the last 3 years. I need to remind myself that I do have great academic skills, as evidenced at A-Level. I must be worth something to employers, and those expectations before I started Uni weren't completely empty.

I want to pick myself back up again and get a good paying graduate job. I'm looking at the finance/banking industry and I'm very intimidated by how many different areas there are within these sectors, not to mention my ability to even get a job in them.

Is there anyone else who has been in my kind of position? I feel like I didn't learn a whole lot at Uni and obviously didn't intern/ network, so I know I have stuff to do before I can get one of these jobs. What could I feasibly do in my position to get a good job in the finance/ banking industry (or even any other 'suitable' industries)? Thanks :smile:

Reply 1

Quady

Teaching would be the best bet, or accountancy.

The key question is what do you want from a job?

Reply 2

Bill_Gates

3 years since you graduated? in between that period i would of said unpaid internships with reputable firms, this would of helped your applications loads!

Masters? Teaching? Accountancy? GDL?

Reply 3

returnmigrant

Teaching - get yourself a Teaching Assistant job (maths graduates are usually very welcome) and see if this is the right job for you. http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching

Armed Services - you don't have to sign up for life, but again they welcome Maths grads and the 2.2 won't be a problem. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence/about/recruitment

Other work areas - look at relevant voluntary work (not in a charity shop...) that might help you move into another work area - ie. something relevant to your degree or a related area. http://www.charityjob.co.uk/volunteer-jobs

Think about doing a postgrad qualification with the OU whilst working. This would at least mean you could see a purpose in working at Tescos! http://www.open.ac.uk/postgraduate

Reply 4

juiceboxy

Original post by Bill_Gates

3 years since you graduated? in between that period i would of said unpaid internships with reputable firms, this would of helped your applications loads!

Masters? Teaching? Accountancy? GDL?

No, I graduated in summer. The 3 years I referred to were the 3 years of Uni.

Reply 5

juiceboxy

I think one issue I have is a complete lack of confidence in my interview abilities. I don't feel comfortable applying to a lot of these grad schemes and such because, honestly, I know very little about the jobs. Like I said before, there's so many different areas in some of these things and I don't have any real preference for one over another, let alone do I even know much about them.

Reply 6

Brit_Miller

Original post by juiceboxy

Why not consider a masters to specialise? That may help your confidence.

Reply 7

jam278

I know how you feel OP.

With the tesco job they see you as overqualified, if you were a student at University then they wouldn't mind so much.

Just keep on applying for jobs and you'll get one eventually.

Reply 8

Rawlie

For what it's worth here is my opinion on the matter. I graduated in pretty much the same circumstances 12 years ago, got a 2.2 from a decent university, didn't feel like I learnt much during my degree (most of the same way you're feeling really) etc etc.

One of the biggest problems facing grads when they leave university is a major lack of knowledge/information about what jobs actually exist out there. For most of them you don't need to go on a grad scheme - if you want to be raking in the pounds in your first two years you pretty much have to go and work in a bank in London - like everyone else wants to. My advice is this. 1. sit down and think about what you are genuinely good at. Not academic stuff or fluffy buzz word stuff (like team working etc etc). What are you really and honestly good at. It might be simple stuff like talking to people or being really annoyingly organised. Make a list and keep it honest and real. 2. Have a think about what possible jobs you may have heard or where these skills might be useful. Investigate a few of them. What you'll find is that the more you find out about one job the more you'll realise that there are 20 similar but different ones you've never heard of.

You've talked about the banking sector? Why that? What's interesting to you about that? What do you actually know or care about it? If you can't answer those questions you'll find yourself in the same circumstances you found yourself in during your degree.

After doing all this you'll need a decent CV - a really decent CV. This is my area of specialism so I know how important it is. Work really hard on making your CV interesting, genuine and then apply to stuff. You can't use the same CV for each job, you'll need to tweak it to make it relevant to each role you're applying for. More often that not I see the same old boring buzz word bingo on CVs and they go straight into the reject pile - regardless of your grade. Apply to lots of different job, ask for feedback, ask your parents / family / friends if they know anyone you can send your CV to. It's a lot of effort but frankly job hunting is a full time job. I could go on a bit more but see how you feel about all that first.

I'm happy to answer any specific questions so feel free to ask away. My way of giving a bit back as I know where you're coming from.